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I want to share my experiences conducting a test with RAID configuration on my MDD 867. This afternoon I finished a rather grueling 2 days of tests to determine the truth about RAID arrays and a few options many of us have under OS X. Following is a brief outline of the methods used and subsequent real world results.
1/ Using the OS X software RAID configured through Disk Utility, I reformatted my 2 drives and set them up as a striped array. After installing half a dozen of my most commonly used apps (InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Retrospect...), I noticed a marked performance improvement. All apps opened significantly quicker and the OS responded a little faster. Copying files showed a decrease in time of about 10% to 15% overall. Boot times were not significantly improved. Without spending a dime, I would recommend this effort to anyone having more than one hard drive installed, along with a good back up strategy, such as an external or spare drive. The next time you have to reformat, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.
Now for the GOOD stuff!
2/ Installed Sonnet's Tempo RAID133 ATA dual channel controller ($199 U.S.), carefully followed their concise installation instructions, including another reformatting of the drives and VOILA! Simply installing OS X clearly indicated a definite speed bump was to follow. Because this hardware RAID scheme was to be my eventual goal, I waited to test the performance until I had installed ALL my apps and files. After launching and relaunching most of my most commonly used apps, I can attest to the fact that this configuration is the best money one could spend to produce significant performance increases. Although boot times only decreased marginally, every app I tried launched in less than half the time as my factory non-RAID configuration. Any file I chose opened VERY quickly. Copying files took approx. 30% less time and the best measure was when I restored some large (5GB to 20GB) Retrospect back up files. On my G4/400 at home, decompression and transfer rates topped out at 130MB per minute. The factory spec MDD at the office (the test machine) performed the same task at 180MB per minute. Once the software RAID was configured, that number rose to 200MB. But after the hardware RAID, it shot up to 300MB+ per minute! PhotoShop on the factory setting launched in about 25 to 30 seconds, 20 in software RAID and 10 seconds with the hardware config. Mail now opens in 2 seconds! Safari - 4 seconds. InDesign - 7 seconds. PhotoShop - 10 seconds.
I have kept a written log of more test times, if anyone is interested.
Bottom line - hardware RAID via the Sonnet card works... and VERY well!!! I'd bet my MDD 867 is at LEAST as fast as a new MDD 1.42, if not faster.
Test system specs - MDD 867, 2 x 60GB hard drives, 2GB RAM
1/ Using the OS X software RAID configured through Disk Utility, I reformatted my 2 drives and set them up as a striped array. After installing half a dozen of my most commonly used apps (InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Retrospect...), I noticed a marked performance improvement. All apps opened significantly quicker and the OS responded a little faster. Copying files showed a decrease in time of about 10% to 15% overall. Boot times were not significantly improved. Without spending a dime, I would recommend this effort to anyone having more than one hard drive installed, along with a good back up strategy, such as an external or spare drive. The next time you have to reformat, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.
Now for the GOOD stuff!
2/ Installed Sonnet's Tempo RAID133 ATA dual channel controller ($199 U.S.), carefully followed their concise installation instructions, including another reformatting of the drives and VOILA! Simply installing OS X clearly indicated a definite speed bump was to follow. Because this hardware RAID scheme was to be my eventual goal, I waited to test the performance until I had installed ALL my apps and files. After launching and relaunching most of my most commonly used apps, I can attest to the fact that this configuration is the best money one could spend to produce significant performance increases. Although boot times only decreased marginally, every app I tried launched in less than half the time as my factory non-RAID configuration. Any file I chose opened VERY quickly. Copying files took approx. 30% less time and the best measure was when I restored some large (5GB to 20GB) Retrospect back up files. On my G4/400 at home, decompression and transfer rates topped out at 130MB per minute. The factory spec MDD at the office (the test machine) performed the same task at 180MB per minute. Once the software RAID was configured, that number rose to 200MB. But after the hardware RAID, it shot up to 300MB+ per minute! PhotoShop on the factory setting launched in about 25 to 30 seconds, 20 in software RAID and 10 seconds with the hardware config. Mail now opens in 2 seconds! Safari - 4 seconds. InDesign - 7 seconds. PhotoShop - 10 seconds.
I have kept a written log of more test times, if anyone is interested.
Bottom line - hardware RAID via the Sonnet card works... and VERY well!!! I'd bet my MDD 867 is at LEAST as fast as a new MDD 1.42, if not faster.
Test system specs - MDD 867, 2 x 60GB hard drives, 2GB RAM
